This festive season, internationally acclaimed touring theatre company Wise Children is throwing open the doors of their Frome home, The Lucky Chance, once again.
Last year, those lucky enough to get tickets to the small venue based on Portway, gathered to watch the warm, witty and wonderful tales of Hans Christian Andersen. “We are delighted to say that the invite is open again, as the company are bringing the show back for three weeks in December,” explained associate producer Rhys Bugler.
The Little Match Girl and Happier Tales, co-adapted by Joel Horwood and Emma Rice, follows the struggling Little Match Girl, who strikes match after precious match in an attempt to keep warm.
With each strike of the match, a new story unfolds, from The Princess and the Pea to The Emperor’s New Clothes.
Rhys said, “The show proved a sell-out success last year and so Wise Children are also bringing a second show to The Lucky Chance this winter, this one for even younger audiences. The Ugly Duckling is a beautiful new show from Kneehigh’s Mike Shepherd for ages three and up. With puppets by Lyndie Wright (Little Angel Theatre), The Ugly Duckling fuses storytelling and live music to bring the beloved Hans Christian Andersen tale to life in a sweet, silly and sometimes sad show.
“Whichever show you come to, expect spellbinding music, bewitching performances, beautiful puppetry and timeless folktales to warm your soul through the cold winter months.”
Since Wise Children’s inception in 2018, they have toured to more than 24 cities in the UK and internationally with acclaimed productions including Blue Beard, Romantics Anonymous and Wuthering Heights. Wise Children moved into The Lucky Chance on Frome’s Portway in 2022 and have been renovating the building since then, transforming it into their rehearsal and training space, as well as a glamorous bar and secret 75-seat venue.
The Little Match Girl runs from Friday 29th November to Saturday 21st December, with matinees at 4pm and the evening show at 7.30pm.
The Ugly Duckling runs from Tuesday 10th December to Saturday 21st December, with morning shows at 11am and matinees at 2pm.
Tickets are on sale now via the Wise Children website, www.wisechildren.co.uk
Photo credit: Steve Tanner
